Emmanuel Adebayor, who was frozen out after a bust-up during pre-season with Spurs boss AVB, is set to be reintegrated into the first-team picture.

Reintroducing 6ft 3in Adebayor would be likely to push Defoe - who stands 5ft 7in - even further down the pecking order as AVB’s preference is for a big frontman to link play.

(Image: Victor Fraile)

Defoe will now have to weigh up the mouthwatering offer to move to Canada against his situation at Spurs and his hopes of making Roy Hodgson’s squad for the World Cup in Brazil next summer.

Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen - a former Tottenham team-mate of Defoe's - is understood to have made a tentative proposal to take the striker in the summer, but he was rebuffed as the player wanted to remain committed to the club.

Nelsen has returned, however, with an even more lucrative deal and has confirmed he is desperate to prise the frontman away.

“He is one of the most natural goal-scorers I have ever come across,” said Nelsen. “Always out training, always trying to score. To get a guy like Defoe for MLS, I cannot think of many that are more suited - I think if you ask most Premier League teams, they would take Defoe.

“It would be incredible. I call him and text him all the time. Him playing in Toronto would be phenomenal. If you look around the world and try and think of a realistic player - and I am not sure how realistic he is - that complements a league like ours, never gets injured, doesn’t drink, can play high, low, scores all sorts of goals.’”

(Image: LatinContent/Getty Images)

Defoe has had two spells at Tottenham.

He was first signed from West Ham for £7m in 2004.

After being sold to Portmouth, Spurs bought him back in January 2009 for £15m.

Pato, meanwhile, has had an unhappy time at Corinthians since moving there in January after a six-year spell at AC Milan.

Still only 24, he has hit eight goals in 23 matches and has fallen out with fans and his team-mates.